Specific gravity indicating device



A. O. CODNEY SPECIFIC GRAVITY INDICATING DEVICE` Filed July 16, 1930Illllllllllllrl.

Feb.f 264, 1935.

Patented F eb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES y sPEcrFIc GRAVITY INDioATiNGDEVHICE Arthur o. codney, `otevelami Heights, ohio, as-

signor to WillardjStorage Batteryr Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of West Virginia Application V.my 16, 1930,'seria1N0.468,650

' V3 ciaims. (cr. 26e- 45) This invention relates to a device forindicating the specific gravities of liquids, and has more particularlyto do With` the'determining of specie gravities of electrolyte inVstorage battery f cells.

An object of the present invention is to pro'- vide a device which iscapable of indicating simultaneously the specific gravities ofliquidsiridifferent compartments for the` purpose of com-r parison. A furtherobject of the invention is to'provide a' device which, in addition tovisibly indicating simultaneously therspecic gravity readings ofdifferent liquids, will also permit the operator to ascertaininequalities 'in the specific gravit'ies Vof different liquidssimultaneously, by visual dir"- ferences in heights of liquidsdrawnsimultaneously into the device. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter-referred to which-is operable froma single source of vacuum,thereby enabling a simultaneous indication of the specific gravities ofa plurality of separate liquids.

Withthebbjects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explainedin View, the inven-` tion consists in the construction and combinationof elements hereinafter described and claimed. v

Referring to the drawing: l V1r'igure l isa front elevational View of adevice embodying the present invention, portions of whichA are brokenaway to more clearly disclose the construction, and also showing itsrelation# ship with respect to the vent holes of a storage battery.

Fig. 2 'is atop plan View of Fig. 1 with the suction means removed..AFig. 3 is aV longitudinalsectional'view of 4one* of the `liquidreceiving members on an enlarged scale, and showing in detail theconstruction and association of elements. Fig. 4 is a transversesectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. A -In the drawing10Vrepresents a` portion of a storage battery having a plurality of cellsor compartments 11, three of which are herein shown, `vvhichiare adaptedto contain a suitable electrolyte, the specic gravities of `Which`areHeretofore it has been customary-to determine the specific gravity oftheelectrolyte Within a cell by the use of a hydrometer syringe, in whichcase it was necessary totake the readingof the plurality of cellssimultaneously, for the purpose of visual comparison, and, further, tobe able to check the speciic gravity readings by .visual observance ofany difference in height of the electrolyte drawn into the liquidreceiving members While the specific gravity readings are being taken.Y, l

A pluralityfof liquid receiving members 14, preferably consisting of thedesired lengths of glass tubing, are spaced a predetermined distanceapart, which Ynormally corresponds with the center to center. distancesof the vent holes 13 of the storage battery 10. The upper ends of theliquid receiving members 14 are sealed by rubber bushings or plugs 15Whicht frictionally tight Ytherein and have` openings 16` extendinglongitudinally therethrough. The tubular memn bers 17, preferably ofhard rubber, have one of their: ends secured Withinthe openings 16 Whilethe opposite ends are free, for a purpose to be later described.

The loweriends of the liquid receiving members 14 are also sealed in asimilar manner to the opposite endsv of the members, by rubber bushingsor plugsv 18 which nt frictionally Vtight therein. These 'bushings 18have openings 19 extending longitudinally therethroughand .are furtherprovided With offset portions 20 'spaced apart from the body portion ofthe vbushing l8`but joined integrally therewith. These extensions alsohave openings 21 extending transversely therethrough and substantiallyin alignment with the openings 19, all of which is for a purposelater'to be de- 14 are hydrometer floatsor members 23, the lower ends ofwhich are adapted to normally rest upon the extensions 20 of thebushings 18 while receiving members 14 are empty of liquid, thusproviding a cushion or seat for iioats 23 to rest upon and therebypreventing breakage of the fragile floats 23. rhe upper portions of thefloats 23 are provided with extensions 24 having the usual graduationsindicating specic gravities, and in this particular type, it isunderstood that where the level of the liquid rises to a certaingraduation on the extension, such graduation indicates the specificgravity of the electrolyte or other liquid.

Difculty has been encountered in the past in overcoming frictionalresistancebetween the hydrcmeter iioat 23 and the walls of the liquidreceiving members in the course of taking a reading and also due to themeniscus of the liquid surface around float stem 24 being displaced fromthe center of liquidsurface in receiving member 14 causing inaccuratereadings Y of vgraduations. This condition has been effectively overcomeherein by providing split'rings 25 preferably of Celluloid, and spacedyapart longitudinally within the liquid receiving members 14 by spacerstrips 26, any number of which may be employed, there being two hereinshown. These rings 25 are spaced apart substantially the length of thehydrometer float 23 and tend to maintain the oat 23 in centeredrelation. The rings are provided with inwardly extending projections27spaced apart er than the diameter of the iioat 23.

To prevent the rings 25 from accidentaldisplacement within the liquidreceiving members 14, the lower ends of thestrips 26 are extended, asshown in Fig. 3, and bent inwardly at 28 to thereby engage orsubstantially engage the under surface of the extension 20.

'Ihe indicating device herein shown is for taking the specific gravityreadings of three cells simultaneously. However, it should be understoodthat the invention contemplates` the taking of specific gravityreadingsof two or more cells simultaneously and that the device may bemodified in accordance with the requirements.

The liquid receiving members 14 are preferably supported in a framewhich, in this instance, consists of a lower frame member 29 of light,flat material which abuts the rubber bushings 13. The tube 22 of thecenter liquid receiving member 14 extends through a central opening 30in the lower frame member 29, while the tubular members 22 of the outerliquid receiving members 14 extend through elongated openings 31therein. It will be seen, therefore, that provision is herein made forthe relative `adjustment between the outer liquid receiving throughT-shaped slots 34 located adjacentrthe `opposite ends of the upper framemember 32 to permit relative adjustment between the center liquidreceiving member 14 and the outer liquid receiving members 14, 'forreasons already explained. Connecting rods 35 extend between the lowerframe member 29 and the upper frame member 32 and tend to maintain thesame in rigid engagement with the liquid receiving members 14 by meansof nuts 36 which engage the opposite sides of the lower frame member 29and upper frame member 32 respectively. It should be understood, ofcourse, that to make the desired adjustment between the center liquidreceiving member 14 and the outer liquid receiving members 14, the nuts36 on the rods 35 should beV loosened, and, when properly adjusted,retightened so as to hold the liquid receiving members 14 in rigidposition. Y Y

The connecting rods 35 at their upper ends extend above the upper framemember 32 for a suicient height, and extending therebetween is a strapv37 of metal or other material'which is held in place by means of nuts38 which engage opposite sides of the strap 37. This strap has atransverse opening 3,9 extending substantially centrally thereof, anddisposed directly beneath is a cup-shaped manifold 46 preferably ofcelluloid. This Vmanifold is interiorly screw-threaded and cooperateswith a screw-threaded extension on a locking member 41 which has alaterally extending ange or surface adapted to engage the upper surfaceof the strap 37 and, when screwed into proper position, rigidly holdsthe manifold in engagement with the under side of the strap 37,as'clearly shown in Fig. 1. A centrally disposed opening 42 extendsthrough the member 41 and transverse openings 43 are also provided inthe wall of the cup-shaped manifold 40` In this particular instance,three openings 43 are shown inasmuch as three liquid receiving meml bers14 are provided. Tubular extensions or plugs 44 have one end securedwithin the openings 43 while the opposite ends are free and receive oneend of exible rubber hoses 45. The opposite ends of the iiexible rubberhoses 45 are attached to one of the tubular members 17 at the upper'endof the liquid receiving members 14.

Any desired suction means may be connected with the opening 42 Yin themember 4l communicating with the manifold 4i), but I preferably providea bulb 46 which has an open end engagin the member 41.

In the operation of the device, the tubular members 22 at the lowerendsof the liquid receiving members 14 are immersed in different liquids andthe Vbulb 46 is squeezed until relieved of substantially all the air.The bulb is then released, which creates a suction and draws the liquidthrough the respective tubular members 22 and into the liquid receivingmembers 14. The liquid coming into contact with the hydrometerfloats 23float the latter toa substantial extent and the level of the liquidwhere it strikes the graduated extension 24 indicates the specificVgravity of the liquid. It will be seen that the reading of a number ofliquids at one time is made possible by a single actuation of the bulbv46 so that comparative readings may be taken, thus eliminating thenecessity of remembering the readings of the different liquids whenordinarily taken individually and successively. Additionally, a check isafforded on the specific gravity readings by a difference in height ofthe liquid drawn into the liquid receiving members 14 from two or morecells, one of which contains liquid whose specific gravity issubstantially lower or higher than the others. This diiference in theheight of liquid levels is due to the hydrostatic balance of the liquiddrawn into the two o-r more liquid receiving Cri Cil

members 14. This feature provides an additional check on the existenceof diiferen'ces in the specie gravities of the liquids or electrolyte intwo or more cells of a storage battery. Y

While I have described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it isto be understood that I am not to be limited thereto inasmuch as changesand modiiications may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

l. A hydrometer syringe portable by hand for simultaneously indicatingthe specic gravities of electrolytes in a plurality of battery cells,comprising two spaced members having spaced apertures therein, means foradjusting said spaced members relative to each other, a plurality oftransparent liquid receiving members supported by said spaced members, aplurality of tubular stems extending from the lower ends of saidtransparent liquid receiving members and projecting through theapertures in one of said spaced members, said tubular -members beingsupported in predetermined spaced relationship with reference to theopenings in the cells whereby the hydrometer syringe may be positioneddirectly above the cells and the tubular members simultaneouslyprojected through the openings in the cells by the mere lowering of thehydrometer syringe, a

hydrometer float in each of said liquid' receiving chambers, a pluralityof tubular members extending from the upper ends of said liquidreceiving members and projecting through the spaced apertures in theother of said members, and means connected to said last mentionedtubular members for creating a vacuum in said liquid receiving chamberswhereby electrolytes may be simultaneously drawn into said chambers.

2. A hydrometer syringe portable by hand for simultaneously indicatingthe specific gravities of electrolytes in a plurality of battery cells,comprising two spaced members having spaced apertures therein, means foradjusting said members relative to each other, a plurality oftransparent liquid receiving members supported by said members andadjustable relative to each other, a plurality of tubular stemsextending from the lower ends of said liquid receiving members andprojecting through the apertures in one oi said members, said tubularmembers being supported in predetermined spaced relationship withreference to the openings in the cells whereby the hydrometer syringemay be positioned directly above the cells and the tubular memberssimultaneouslyV projected through the openings in the cells by the merelowering of the hydrometer syringe, a

hydrometer float in each of said liquid receiving chambers, a pluralityof tubular members extending from the upper ends of said liquidreceiving members and projecting through the apertures in the other ofsaid members, and means connected to said last mentioned tubular membersfor creating a vacuum in said liquid receiving chambers wherebyelectrolytes may be simultaneously drawn into said chambers.

3. A hydrometer syringe portable by hand for simultaneously indicatingthe specific gravities of electrolytes in a plurality of battery cells,comprising two spaced members positioned one above the other havingspaced apertures therein, a plu-A rality of transparent liquid receivingmembers supported by said members for adjustment relative to each other,a plurality of tubular members member supported above the rst mentionedvspaced members, a suction bulb supported by said third spaced member,and means operatively connected to said suction bulb and said lastmentioned tubular members whereby a vacuum may be created in saidliquidreceiving chambers and electrolytes simultaneously into saidchambers.

ARTHUR O. CCDNEY.

